Balling gun



Feb. 26, 1952 C. N. MITCHELL BALLING GUN Filed May 20, 1948 l I IPatented Feb. 26, 1952 2,587,364 BALLING GUN Courtney N. Mitchell,

Cleveland, Ohio deceased, late of Strongsville, Ohio, by Edith Mitchell,administratrix,

Application May 20, 1948, Serial No. 28,125

This invention pertains to the art of veterinarian tools and, moreparticularly, to a balling glln- 'vBalling guns are extensivelyA usedbyyeterinarians, farmers and other raisers of livestock and domesticanimals for administering to such animals medicinal cartridges of oneform or another containing vitamins or other curative medicines. Suchtools generally comprises anopenended cylinder adapted to receive thecartridges in the interior thereof, a long handle whereby the cylindermay be positioned into the throat of the animal and means for ejectingthe cartridge from the cylinder into the animals throat. Heretofore, thecartridges, if of a size appreciably smaller than the interior diameterof the open coil, often slipped out and fell to the ground or into themouth of the animal during the process of forcing the animals mouth openand inserting the cylinder thereinto. If the cartridges were madelarger, then it became difl'lcult to insert them into the cylinder; orif once inserted thereinto, it was quite likely they would become jammedwhereby it was diicult to eject them into the throat of the animal.Additionally, once a person had acquired a balling gun, it was generallynecessary that he continue to use only one make or brand of cartridgeinasmuch as the diameter of the cartridges might vary from onemanufacturer to the other. Thus, it oftentimes became necessary that theuser own a number. of balling guns having different sizedcartridgereceiving chambers. l

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention toprovide a newand improved balling gun which is simple in constructionand economical to manufacture and which has means for receivablymaintaining the cartridge. whereby the cartridge may be easily inserted,firmly retained and yet easily ejected without jamming or the like. v

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedballing gun which is adapted to receive a maximum number of sizes ofcartridges with the same ease and sureness of operation.

k 3 Claims. (Cl. 12S-21'?)V ments of which are described hereinafter inthis specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing Stillanother object of the invention is the w provision of a ballingreceiving chamber, which chamber is provided with a plurality ofinwardly-biased resilient members adapted to lightly but firmly andfrictionally engage a cartridge inserted thereinto. Another object is tohave the resilient members so disposed as to readily guide a cartridgeinto the chamber from the ejection end.

The invention resides in certain constructions and arrangements ofparts,J preferred. embodigun having a cartridgewhich is a part hereofand wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational View, with portions broken away forclarity, of a ballingv gun embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional viewof the balling gun shown in Figure 1taken approximately on the line 2-2 thereof.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge-receiving chambershowing a modified construction from that of Figure l, and

Figure 4 is an end view of a cartridge-receiving chamber showing afurther modified form of construction.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a balling gun constructedin accordance with the principles of and embodying the presentinvention. The balling gun shown comprises a cartridge-receiving portionI0, an elongatedhan'- dle II and a manually-operated discharge lever l2.The cartridge-receiving portion In comprises generally acylindrical-shaped member I4 of metal open at the right-hand end, asviewed in the figures, and having a diameter and depth approximatelylarge enough t0 receive the largest sized cartridge or capsule which, itis anticipated, the tool will be called upon to administer'. The otheror left-hand end of the cylinderV Ic is closed by a generallyconical-shaped, closure member I6 which forms a continuation of theleft-hand end of the cylinder member I4 and serves to reduce thediameter to a size corresponding to thatof an elongated hollowv tube I8which extends through an opening in the closure member IIB into theinterior of the left end of the cylinder member Id. The tube I3 may besoldered or welded as at IS to the closure member I6.

The handle II may be lof any desired length necessary to allow thecartridge-receiving portion I0 to be positioned into the'throat of theanimal while, at the same time, allowing the hands of the operator to beclear of the animals teeth. As shown, the tube I8 forms an axialextension of the cylinder member I4. It may, of course, be positionedradially elsewhere. The end of the tube I8, opposite from the cylindermember Ill, has a nger member 2D fixed thereto, which finger member hasa pair'of reversely bent loops 2|, 22 forming respectivelyfingerreceiving openings 23, 24. -Y

The discharge lever compries an elongated push rod 2B disposedinteriorly of and reciprocably in the tube I8. As shown, the left end ofthe push rod 26 extends beyond the tube I8 and has a ringlike member 21xed thereon, which ring-like member is adapted to receive the thumb ofthe operator. The other or right-hand end of the push rod 26 extendsbeyond the right-hand end of the tube I8 and into the interior of thecylinder member I4. A ilat circular plate 29 of a diameter somewhat lessthan the interior diameter of the cylinder member I4 is fixed to therighthand end of the push rod 26. The length of the push rod 26 ispreferably such that when moved'v the full distance to the right, theright-hand ,surk face of the plate 29 will be substantially flush withthe right-hand end of the cylinder member I4'.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing de scription that the push rodmay be moved to the left or retracted so as to provide a relativelylarge opening 30 on the interior of thecvlinder member I4 into which acartridge or capsuley not Shown, may be readily positioned and that bymovement of the push rod 25' to the right, such cartridge or capsule canbe readily ejected from the chamber 30.

Thepresent invention contemplates means i'or frictionallv engagingthesides of the cartridge'or` 5 capsule whereby to prevent such cartridgenor cap# sule'from accidentally falling out of the chamber 30, as well asto provide for receiving. `a maximum variation in the sizes of thecapsule or cartridge which may be accommodated within the chamber 30. Inthe embodiment 0f the invention shown inFigure 1, a plurality. in thiscase three, of cartridge-engaging members 32 are provided, each of whichmembers comprises an elongated strip of thin resilient materialcircumferentially spaced around the inner wall of the cylinder memberI4. The left-hand ends of the. members 32 are suitably xed in positionbv a ring-like member 34 disposed over the rightehand endk of the tubeI8 and with its outer edge bearing against the inner surfaces of themembers 32 and pressingy them against the innerV surface. ofthe cylindermember I4. The spring members 32 extend generally axially of thecylinder member I4 substantiallyy to its right-handv end and are bowedradiallyinwardlyl intermediate the ends as at 35. The right-hand end 36of each of the spring members is resiliently held in engagement with theinterior surface of 'the cylinder member I4 by the bias of: the springmember; but is otherwise free to move or slideaxially whereby, if acartridge or capsule is inserted in the chamber 30, the bowed-inportions 35 may freely nex outwardly to receive the capsule. It will benoted that the divergent spring'mernbers 32, adjacent the open end ofthe chamber 30, provide a guiding' action for-directing a cartridge intothe chamber. The device is, thus, always ready to receive a newcartridgewith a maximum of ease and speed.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3, a diiierentlmeansv ofmounting the resilient members 32l of Figure 1 have beenprovided. In this embodiment, like parts are designated by like numbersand similar parts are designated by the same number with a prime U)added. Thus, the resilient members 32 extend generally axially of andfor substantially the full length of the cylinder member I 4- Instead oibeing bowed, the membersv 32* taper slightly inwardly and' theirleft-hand ends are each provided with a short, laterally extendingportion 40. The rights-hand. end of the tube I8 is interiorly threadedfor a short distance and an externally threadedsleeve 42 having a ange43 on its right-hand end is threaded into the tube I8 The portions40i`on the members 32', are clamped rmly between the ange 43 and the endof the tube I 8 by screwing the sleeve 42 in tight. Solder may be usedat this point, if i desired. Also in this embodiment of the invention,the plate 29 is somewhat reduced in diameter and has a concave recess 45in its righthand surface forming a cup into which an end of a capsulemay be received.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 4, thecartridge-receiving portion l0 comprises a generally cylinder-likemember having somewhat of a deformed, cross-sectional contour comprisingthree'arcuate segments 50 of equal lengtliioined at' their ends byshorter arcuate segments 5f of ailesser radius of curvature as isclearly shown inthe drawing. The arcuate sections 50 are spaced so as tojust clear the maximum size cartridge desired to be handled and thesegments 5I provide a clearance for the springs 32" as is clearly showninthe drawings. Amaximum sized cartridge .may .be accommm dated with aminimum sizedcartridge-holding portion tov be disposed into the throat.of the animal. f

Thus it will rbe seen thatieznbodimentsof the invention have 'beendescribed.` which accomplish the objects o1' thev :invention heretoforeenumerated and others; and that a.. ball'ing. vgun has been providedwhich will;accommodate.` the maximum number vof sizesof. cartridges-or:capsules and which will .rmly preventsuch cap.- sules from accidentallyVdropping out of thetube while, at the sametime, readilyl ejeetingV sameat any time.

Having thus described thev invention, the. following is claimed:

1. A balling gun, an elongated hollow member open at one end to `form acartridge-receiving chamber and a handle comprising a. hollowl tubeaxially aligned with said chamber and extending thereinto, a pluralityof thin, spring-like elements positioned interiorly of said member andadapted to frictionally engage a cartridge when positioned in saidmember, and means: on the end of said handle extending into said memberfor retaining said elementsin position,

2. The combination of claim 1 wherei'nthe end of said handle isthreadedY and theA elements are held in clamping engagement therewith bya complementary threaded member.

3. 'Ihe combination of claim 1 wherein the end of the handle extendinginto the chamber has a radial flange thereon positioning one end of theelements in engagement withy the interior of said elongated hollowmember;

EDITH MITCHELL, Administratri for the Estatel of Courtneyv N.

Mitchell,l Deceased'.

REFERENCESv CITEDV The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 421,072 Harris Feb. 1'1, 1890726,460 Reid Apr.' 28, 1903 834.261 Chambers Oct. 30, 1906 842,631Deperdussin Jan; 29,v 1907 FOREIGN. PATENTS.'`

Number Country Date 342,142 Great Britain Jan. 29, 1931 353,963V GermanyMay'30, 1922 361,885 Germanyf v Feb. 10, 1923

